Mullins and Townend crowned champions at Punchestown

Willie Mullins paid tribute to his owners and staff after being crowned champion trainer for the 17th team on the final day of the Punchestown Festival.

It has been another memorable campaign for the master of Closutton, who in January sent out is 4,000th career winner and set a new record for the number of winners in a National Hunt season in Ireland when surpassing his previous best total of 202 at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival.

Highlights on home soil include winning the Irish Gold Cup with Galopin Des Champs and the BoyleSports Grand National with I Am Maximus, while the likes of State Man, El Fabiolo and Facile Vega were all multiple Grade One winners domestically.

He said: "To win the champion trainer title is the icing on another great season for our team

"Galopin Des Champs winning at the Dublin Racing Festival, and I am Maximus winning the Irish Grand National were two personal highlights for me.

"Winning titles like this wouldn't be possible without our loyal owners who send us these wonderful horses. It’s a huge team effort at Closutton – our staff go above and beyond in all weathers and keep the show on the road so winning the champion trainer title is a tribute to everyone at home."

Mullins’ number one rider Paul Townend picked up the champion jockey title for the fifth consecutive season and sixth time in all.

Townend reached the 100-winner mark for the season when steering Gaelic Warrior to success at Punchestown on Wednesday, his fourth career century, while the I A Maximus provided him with a first Irish Grand National triumph.

"I’m in a very privileged position, riding so many superstars for Willie Mullins," said Townend.

"We had an unbelievable season, especially on the big days like Christmas, Dublin Racing